Rail-loader.



M. FEENEY. RAIL LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1a, 1913.

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M. PBENEY.

.RAIL LQADER. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1913.

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IA PLANOGRAPH c MARTIN FEENEY, OF PAUL, MINNESOTA.

RAIL-LOADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application filed June 13, 1913. Serial No. 773,473.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, MARTIN FEENEY, a citizen of the United States, residin at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and 5 Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Loaders, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in rail loaders, and is designed to overcome and eliminate certain difficulties and dangers attendant upon the use of the rail loader as shown and described in the Letters Patent issued to me bearing date of September 3, 1912 No. 1037226.

The rail loader illustrated and described in said patent is designed to be used upon a platform car of a railroad, between two box cars, or coupled to one car of this type if desired, the object being to load the rails from the platform car into the end of either of the adjoining box cars, a window or opening in the end of the car being provided for that purpose.

In loading the rails into the cars, the rails are pulled up on skids, by steam power, and are handled by men standing upon the platform car in position to shove the rails into the box cars. In actual use the men standing upon the platform car are exposed to danger by the possibility of being struck by a rail as it is hauled up on the skid and trestle. The engineer must keep his power applied to haul the rail up the skid, and unless the power is withdrawn at the proper instant, the rail may be drawn over on the men, subjecting them to great danger to life and limb.

The object of this present invention is to provide a safety device that will eliminate this danger, thus rendering the men free to work without apprehension of danger.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete embodiment of the physical invention, constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of one of the skid supporting trestles. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the skid supporting trestles and its complementary roller supporting trestle. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of the skid supporting trestle showing the safety device in operat-ive position in full lines and in inoperative position in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a tate of similar View but with parts broken away for convenience of illustration, the safety arm or lever being shown in inoperative position. Fig. 5 shows a portion of the trestle in side elevation with the safety arm or lever. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 5.

As in my patent above referred to, the numeral l designates a railroad platform car of usual type upon which the skid trestles 2 are mounted. There are at least two of these trestles, one at each end of the car, and they are secured to the stake pockets 8 by chains 4: to prevent displacement. An inclined skid made of a section of rail 5 is bolted at 6 to the upper corner of the trestle, metallic brackets or plates 7 being employed to strengthen the joint. The trestle is composed mainly of wood and upon its upper face a metallic wear plate 8 is placed upon which the rail may slide. By means of a hook 9 on the skid trestle, and an eye 10 on the roller support 11, the trestle and support are held together. This support has adustably mounted thereon the roller frame 12 and roller 13, the latter being about on a level with the wear plate 8 of the skid trestle. It will be understood that each skid trestle has a complementary roller support, and these devices are used in suitable numbers on a platform car.

The skid trestle is provided with the safety appliance, which consists of an arm 14 that is formed with a handle portion 15 and pivoted at 16 in a pair of ears 17 of the metallic bracket 18 bolted to the skid trestle at its end remote from the skid. An angle plate 19 is secured by bolts 20 to the trestle and performs the function of a brace or reinforce for the safety arm. To limit the movement of the safety arm, its inner end is beveled at 21 and is adapted to contact with a complementary beveled portion 22 of the supporting bracket, so that the arm may not fall below the horizontal position, as indicated.

When in use, the arm stands in perpen dicular position as shown. It will be understood that the arm or lever is not depended upon solely to receive the shock of contact from a rail being loaded upon the trestles, but the angle plate which reinforces the lever or arm sustains the shock, as it is in close contact with the lever when the rail strikes the lever or arm. Thus, if a rail is loaded by being lifted up the skid, and the engineer is unable to shut 0E his power to stop the rail in its proper position, the rail Will slide into contact with reinforced arm Which forms an abutment to stop the rail. It will be understood that a sufficient number of these abutments are employed to Withstand the shock of contact from a rail, and the men Working behind the abutment are protected as will be understood.

Having thus fully described my invention,

10 What I claim is A rail loader comprising trestles mounted on a platform car, skids connected to said trestles, and complementary roller supports, a pivoted arm on each trestle, and an angle plate attached to each trestle to reinforce said arm, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

MARTIN FEENEY. Witnesses:

L. A. MUNRo, J. A. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

